EMILY’s List Puts Republicans in the Virginia House of Delegates “On Notice” For Their Anti-Woman and Anti-Family Agenda

EMILY’s List Puts Republicans in the Virginia House of Delegates “On Notice” For Their Anti-Woman and Anti-Family Agenda

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, EMILY’s List, the nation’s largest resource for women in politics, put Republicans in Virginia’s House of Delegates “On Notice” for the upcoming 2017 election. “On Notice” is a list of incumbent Republicans and legislative chambers at all levels of government being called out by EMILY’s List for their anti-woman and anti-family records. EMILY’s List is targeting these seats and chambers in its 2018 electoral efforts.

“Republicans in the Virginia House of Delegates have amassed a shameful voting record that turns back the clock on women’s rights and harms families,” said EMILY’s List Executive Director Emily Cain. “These legislators introduced a 20-week abortion ban with no exceptions for rape or incest, voted to defund Planned Parenthood, cut access to critical health services like cancer screenings, and filed legislation that would force women to sign misleading and inaccurate consent forms meant to cause shame before seeking an abortion. That is why EMILY’s List is investing in an historically diverse group of strong, pro-choice Democratic women in 2017 to hold these Republican legislators accountable for their out-of-touch agenda.”

With nearly 18,000 women reaching out to EMILY’s List interested in running for office, the organization has tripled the size of its state and local campaign staff in order to provide candidates with the resources they need to run and win.

The 2018 launch of this state-level “On Notice” program includes three governors, ten legislative bodies, three secretaries of state and a state attorney general, and is the largest ever in the organization’s 32-year history. It follows the announcement of EMILY’s List’s top congressional and Senate targets in July. A full list of state-level Republican targets can be found here.

Background

Virginia House Republican Introduced Legislation to Ban Abortions After 20 Weeks. “Virginia Delegate David LaRock (R-Loudon) has once again introduced a bill that would unconstitutionally ban abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy. LaRock on Monday pre-filed HB 1473, also known as the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. The bill shares the same name as HB 963 and HB 2321, which were similar failed measures LaRock introduced in the past two legislative sessions.” [Rewire, 12/15/16]

HB 1473 Did Not Provide Exemptions For Rape Or Incest And Attempted To Make Abortion A Felony for Physicians. “The latest version of the abortion ban, like its predecessors, would only allow exceptions if the pregnant person is at risk of death or “substantial and irreversible physical impairment of a major bodily function, not including psychological or emotional conditions. […] Those found violating the law could face a Class 4 felony conviction, which in Virginia includes a prison term of up to ten years and a maximum fine of $100,000.” [Rewire, 12/15/16]

Virginia House Republicans Voted To Prohibit The Department Of Health From Providing Funds To Or Contracting With Entities That Provide Abortions. According to Virginia’s Legislative Information System, on 2/07/17, 60 Republicans voted to pass HB 2264, legislation “prohibit[ing] the Department of Health from spending any funds on an abortion that is not qualified for matching funds under the Medicaid program or providing any grants or other funds to any entity that performs such abortions. The bill also prioritizes the types of entities that the Department of Health contracts with or provides grants to for family planning services.” Only one Republican joined all 32 Democrats in opposing the bill. HB 2264 passed the Senate on 2/14/17. Governor Terry McAuliffe vetoed the bill on 2/21/17 and the House failed to overturn the veto on 2/25/17. [Virginia House of Delegates 2017 Session, HB 2264, 2/07/17; VA NARAL, accessed 8/29/17]

Virginia House Republicans Introduced Legislation Forcing Women To Acknowledge The Medical Risks Of Abortion Within 24 Hours Of The Procedure. According to Virginia’s Legislative Information System, HB 1762 aimed to “provide that any woman seeking an abortion be provided with a written informed consent form at least 24 hours before the performance of the abortion. The bill also provides that such form must contain information regarding the risks of the woman developing placenta previa and placenta accreta in future pregnancies from the performance of a surgical abortion and the attendant consequences of those conditions.” Delegate Robert G. Marshall is the sole patron of the bill (prefiled on 1/09/17) as of 8/28/17 and it has been left in Courts of Justice since 2/07/17. [Virginia House of Delegates 2017 Session, HB 1762, 2/07/17]